Russia fines Google for YouTube videos instructing Russian soldiers how to surrender

A Russian court has imposed a fine of 3.8 million roubles ($41,530) on Google for hosting YouTube videos that allegedly provided instructions to Russian soldiers on how to surrender. This information was reported by Russia’s TASS news agency.

Russia has consistently exerted pressure on foreign tech companies to remove content it deems illegal, including what it labels as “fake” information regarding the conflict in Ukraine. In instances where platforms do not comply, Russian authorities issue fines, which are frequent but relatively small in amount.

Google has yet to issue a response concerning the recent fine.

There have been claims that Russian authorities are intentionally slowing down YouTube to limit access to content critical of President Vladimir Putin and his administration. Russia, however, refutes these claims, attributing the issues instead to Google’s alleged failure to upgrade its infrastructure—an accusation that both Google and tech experts contest.

In December, President Putin accused Google of acting as an instrument for the U.S. government to advance its political agenda.

This recent fine further contributes to the ongoing tensions between Russia and Western tech companies, with YouTube being one of the few remaining major foreign platforms still accessible in Russia.